Why Lombok @Data + @Builder Breaks No‑Args Constructors and How to Fix It

Problem Background

Lombok throws a compilation error when @Data and @Builder are used together because the generated no‑argument constructor disappears, which many frameworks rely on.

Lombok @Data and @Builder Individual Usage

@Data generates getters, setters, and a default no‑argument constructor for a class.

Applying @Builder generates an all‑args constructor but does not create getters/setters on its own.

When both @Data and @Builder are applied, Lombok still creates getters/setters, but the no‑argument constructor is omitted, causing compilation failures.

Solutions

Method 1

Use the @Tolerate annotation on a manually written no‑argument constructor so Lombok ignores it during generation.

Method 2

Combine @RequiredArgsConstructor (to generate the all‑args constructor) with @NoArgsConstructor (to generate the no‑args constructor).

Lombok Internals

Java compilation consists of symbol table filling, annotation processing, analysis and bytecode generation, and finally class file creation.

Lombok uses JDK 6's JSR 269 Pluggable Annotation Processing API to transform annotation code into regular Java methods during compilation.

During the compilation phase, Lombok modifies the abstract syntax tree (AST) to inject new code nodes, which are then compiled into the final .class file.

Creating a simple custom setter via an annotation processor involves:

Defining a custom annotation and its processor.

Using the tools.jar javac API to manipulate the AST.

Compiling the processor and applying it to target classes.

Example files (MySetter.java, processor implementation, and test class) are shown in the images below.

After compiling the processor and applying it to the test class, the generated Person.class contains the expected setter method.

Conclusion

Although Lombok can generate setters at compile time, they are not directly callable in source code, which is why Lombok provides a plugin mechanism to expose its features during development.